MeerKAT discovery of a double radio relic and odd radio circle: connecting cluster and galaxy merger shocks

Abstract

Abstract We present the serendipitous discovery of (1) a large double radio relic associated with the galaxy cluster PSZ2 G277.93+12.34 and (2) a new odd radio circle, ORC J1027–4422, both found in the same deep MeerKAT 1.3 GHz wide-band radio continuum image. The angular separation of the two arc-shaped cluster relics is ∼16′ or ∼2.6 Mpc for a cluster redshift of z ≈ 0.158. The thin southern relic, which shows several ridges/shocks including one possibly moving inwards, has a linear extent of ∼1.64 Mpc. In contrast, the northern relic is about twice as wide, twice as bright, but only has a largest linear size of ∼0.66 Mpc. Complementary SRG/eROSITA X-ray images reveal extended emission from hot intracluster gas between the two relics and around the narrow-angle tail (NAT) radio galaxy PMN J1033–4335 (z ≈ 0.153) located just east of the northern relic. The radio morphologies of the NAT galaxy and the northern relic, which are also detected with the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) at 888 MHz, suggest both are moving in the same outward direction. The discovery of ORC J1027–4422 in a different part of the same MeerKAT image makes it the 4th known single ORC. It has a diameter of ∼90″ corresponding to 400 kpc at a tentative redshift of z ≈ 0.3 and remains undetected in X-ray emission. Supported by simulations, we discuss similarities between outward moving galaxy and cluster merger shocks as the formation mechanisms for ORCs and radio relics, respectively.